Patient acceptability of laser and cold coagulation therapy for pre‐malignant disease of the uterine cervix

OBJECTIVE: To determine patient acceptability of cold coagulation and laser treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). DESIGN: A prospective study with alternate allocation. SETTING: Teaching hospital in London. SUBJECTS: 155 women requiring treatment for CIN. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time taken to complete the treatment; visual analogue scores for pain experienced, anxiety felt and acceptability of the procedure; post treatment bleeding and discharge, and follow-up smear. RESULTS: Cold coagulation treatment was found to be quicker and less painful than laser treatment, there were no other significant differences between the two methods of treatment. CONCLUSION: Cold coagulation is a more acceptable form of treatment for CIN than laser.